Hame tug



(No Mgdel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

J. s. WEST. HAME TUG.

No. 509,562. Patented Nov. 28, 1893.

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" (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. swsff 'EAME TUG.

No. 509,562. Patented Nov. 28, 189s.

THE mmoNAL Lmoamwmms COMPANY,

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Unirse STATES PATENT JOHN S. VEST, OF PARIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ON F-HALF TO O. F. PELSUE, J. E. MURPHY, AND Il. R. I-IERRING, OF SAME PLACE.

HAlVlE-TUG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,562, dated November 28, 1893.

Application iiled April 13, 1893. Serial No. 470,208. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. WEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paris, in the county of Monroe and State of Missouri, have 5 invented a new and useful Combined Trace- Coupler and Hame-'l`ug, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined reversible trace-coupler and haine tug, and has 1o for its object to provide a device to facilitate the attachment and adjustment of traces and halne tugs and embodying a simple and effective construction and operation of a durable nature, which is comparatively inexx5 pensive in its manufacture.

lith these and other objects in View, the invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts thereof as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

2o In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of the improved device arranged as a trace-coupler and the adjustment as being made from the inner side of the same. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device shown in z5 Fig. l, illustrating the adjustment as being made from the outer side. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the improved device as located nearer the hame and supplied with an extension, the fastening or coupling being made 3o from the inner side and the device shown in reverse position to that illustrated by Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 illustrates in perspective the manner of applying the device in connection with a short hanne-tug and the adjustment as 35 being made from the inner side of the same.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line .9c-x, Fig. l, on

an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a section on the line jef-y, Fig. 2, on a similar scale.

Similar numerals of reference indicate vcorresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an elongated metallic couplingplate, which in all the forms shown is sub- 45 stantially of the same construction and provided with right-angular side flanges 2, eX- tending backwardly and projected at one end to form ears 3 having eyes therein through which is passed a connecting bolt or screw 4t,

5o that also extendsthrough the ears 5, of aloop 6, which construction as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is duplicated at the opposite end of the coupling-plate. p This form of construction makes the back of the plate 1 of hollow contour, and in the outer part oi' the same, and 5 5 extending longitudinally ot' the center thereof, is a series of double D openings 7, that are transversely bisected by cross-bars S.

Adjacent to one end ofthe plate 1 are integrally formed on the upper and lower sides 6o thereof elongated attaching loops 9 and l0, the loop 10 being slightly in advance, a portion oi its length, of the loop 9. The loop 9 is intended to have the backband attached thereto, and the loop 1U is arranged to receive 65 the girth or bellyband. As shown in Fig. 3, it will be observed that the plate l may be reversed, in which event the loops 9 and 10 will be located atthe rear instead of the front end of the said plate, wherebyI provide fora 7o desired positioning ot' said loops 9 and 10 for accommodating different horses and bringing the breast-strap at the desired point of the aniinals back. By such adjustment the trace remains the saine length, yet, as before stated, 75 the position of the loops is altered. The said loops 9 and 10 are located in such manner as to permit the rear end of the deviceto be located at such a level as to have the pull on the trace and haine-tug to be perfectly straight, 8o so that there will be no extra' strain on any part of the trace or haine/tug.

In each of the forms shown the rear parts of the side tianges are constructed with a series of integral apertured lugs 1l; and, as S5 shown in Fig. 2 where the adjustment is made on the outer side of the coupling-plate, apad or shield 12 is. secured to the said lug and against the inner side of the said couplingplate to prevent ehang or rubbing ot the 9o animal.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the loop 6, at the front endoi:` the coupling-plate 1, has the rear end of a tug-section 13 attached thereto, and at its opposite end the said tug-section is supg5 plied with a cockeye 14, that is connected to the haine-clip 15.

The trace 16 is formed in any suitable inanner, and has secured to the front end thereof a T-coupling 17, provided witha front bifurroo cated head 1S, between the arms of which is pivotally mounted a hook 19 formed with a rounded surface 20 and of increased thickness. In all the forms of ythe device shown this T-coupling, with its hook constructed in the manner set forth, is employed and is intended to adjustably engage ythe cross-barsS of the double D openings7,to shorten orlengthen the trace or haine-tug as the case may be, and arrange to engage the same either from the back orfrontof thecoupling-plate,asshownbyFigs. 1 and 2. The unoccupied loop 6,at the rear end of the coupling-plate 1, is passed over or bears on either the outer or inner side ofthe trace 16, accordingly as the application of the hook 19 to the coupling-plate is made at the inner or outer side of thelatter. It will be seen that this construction provides for a convenient means of adjusting the trace and tug-section or for coupling or uncoupling the same.

As shown in Fig. 3, the same construction of coupling-plate 1 and hook 19 is employed, and in this instance the said coupling-plate is located nearer the hanne, and the tug-section 13 is dispensed with. The said tug-section 13 is supplemented or replaced by a coupling extension 21, consisting of a web or plate 22 at the front, and a pair of parallel bars or arms 23 at the rear that are spaced apart and have ears 24 on the ends thereof that are placed against the ears 3 at one end of the couplingr` plate and pivotally connected thereto by the connecting bolt or screw 4. The front of the said coupling extension is surrounded, or has secured thereto in any suitable manner, a leather loop 25, to which is secured the cockeye, and by means of this coupling extension the yielding nature of the device is sustained and a free movement as well a convenient mode of attachment is provided. In'this instance, as inthe arrangement shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the hook 19 may be caused to engage either the inner or outer sides of the coupling plate 1, as may be found desirable.

In Fig. 4 the coupling-plate is brought directly up to the llame-tug and the cockeye is carried directly on the forward end thereof. In this instance the coupling-plate 1 is integrally formed with an extension 26 that is below the level of the outer plane of the coupling-plate, or inward therefrom, and to which is secured a leather loop similar to loop 25, to which the cockeye is connected. The adj ustment in this instance is made in the same manner as in the forms heretofore set forth, and an adjustment of the trace or coupling or uncoupling of the saine relatively to the coupling-plate 1, may be attained at will. It will be seen that the double D openings 7 are so arranged that the hook 19 of the T coupling carried by the end of the trace may engage the same from either side that is from either end of the coupling-plate, and thereby a practicable reversibility of the couplingplate is permitted. It will be understood that the loops where found permissible will be supplied with anti-frictional rollers, and that the coupling extension 21, as well as the extension 2G, will be supplied with suitable openings to permit the attachment of the parts thereto that engage the same.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may beresorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this in- Vention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is* 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a couplingplate having loops on its opposite ends and adapted to be reversed end for end, provided at opposite edges with lugs, and between its ends provided with a series of perforations, each bisected by a cross-bar, of a trace having a hook loosely connected therewith and adapted to engage with the aforesaid cross-bars at either side thereof, substantiallf.7 as specified.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a coupling-plate having upper and lower backwardly-extending flanges with integral lugs, and a series of openings in the outer part provided with cross-bars,loops movably attached to the opposite ends of said coupling-plate, a tug-section connected to the front end of the said coupling-plate and to a haine, and a trace having a T coupling secured thereto and formed with a bifurcated head in which is pivotally mounted a hook, said hook being adapted to engage the openings and said crossbars thereof and be applied adjustably and removably from either side of the plate,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- JOHN S. WEST.

Witnesses:

G. W. WALLER, CHAs. A. CREIGH. 

